Stan Kroenke, the American billionaire, has quietly added to his stake in Arsenal. Photograph: Jack Dempsey/AP

Stan Kroenke has moved closer to launching a formal takeover of Arsenal by acquiring another 200 shares in the club's parent holding company. The American now controls 29.9% of the company, just short of the 29.99% threshold beyond which he would be forced to make an offer for the remaining shares.

One hundred of the shares purchased by Kroenke were bought from the Arsenal chairman, Peter Hill-Wood.

When the matter of Kroenke's intentions for the Premier League club were raised during the recent AGM at the Emirates Stadium, the American - nicknamed "Silent Stan" - chose not to take the opportunity to address the gathered shareholders, with Hill-Wood intervening.

The chairman recently insisted major changes behind the scenes were not on the agenda and has also suggested he was "very relaxed" about a proposed takeover by the American.